Turn Around, Don't Drown

Monday, September 18, 2006

Where I've lived most of my life, the only place you drive over a body of water is on a big bridge; as in George Washington, Brooklyn, Triboro - you know, big bridges. But there are parts of the country where you'll be driving along and you'll suddenly see a sign that says, "low water crossing." That means that when the water is low, you can cross. In drier times, you're good to go. But when you hear the words "flash flood warning" or you see water ponding in that crossover area, that's a good time to find another way to go. The warning the weather and traffic people give you goes like this: "Turn around, don't drown." That is not just an idle warning. Not long ago, I saw the story of a driver who decided his van could make it through a crossing that had been covered by water after a heavy rain. The water was running deeper and faster than he realized. It tipped his van and began to carry it down this river that had suddenly been created. Several of his passengers were injured. For him, that crossing was his last stop on earth because he refused to heed the warning.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Turn Around, Don't Drown."

When there's been heavy rain in a low water crossing area, the media people give that warning often. And they should. It's based on so many tragic experiences where people didn't turn around and they drowned because they thought they could handle the road, and they ended up in deeper than they thought.

"Turn around, don't drown" is pretty good moral advice, too. I've known way too many people who thought they could handle the temptation, handle being around some stuff that could bring them down, handle flirting with what they should have been fleeing. And they have suddenly found themselves in deeper than they ever imagined - way over their head. And morally, spiritually, they have drowned.

Because God knows that someone who's listening is going to drown if they don't turn around, I believe He's led me to pass on His warning today. Our word for today from the Word of God is a "turn around, don't drown" warning. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 says, "If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" There's a spiritual arrogance, or sometimes a spiritual carelessness, that usually precedes someone getting swept away. If you're flirting with some sin and you're thinking, "Hey, I can handle it," you are overestimating yourself and you are underestimating sin. You can't handle it. There are thousands of fallen saints who could stand up and tell you that's true.

The Bible goes on to say, "God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." For every sin-trap, there's another road you could take. But you have to choose the way out. It means not even getting close to the edge. Take the road that leads you away from that compromise of your integrity, away from that deception, away from that flirtatious relationship that could become adultery before you know it, away from the website, the music, the movies you think you can handle, away from that spiritually dark stuff, away from the people whose company you keep but whose sin you think you can avoid.

The Bible doesn't say to fight with temptation. It says to flee temptation ( 2 Timothy 2:22). It may not look very deep. But, believe me, it has carried away people stronger than you are. God knows where the road you're on is taking you. And He loves you. And you've heard His warning, "Turn around, my child. Don't drown. You still have time to turn around." You won't when the flood is carrying you where you never thought you'd go.